Alcorn County Jail, Corinth, Mississippi
October 29, 2015
Prisoners in Alcorn County Jail in Corinth, Mississippi were found to be “basically running” the jail for an extended period of time. Prisoners had seized the keys to the commissary and to the front door of the jail in order to leave the facility to work on private property and cross state lines at will. The Alcorn County Board of Supervisors did not know that the prisoners had access to the keys or that they were able to come and go as they liked.
This arrangement was put to an end when authorities raided the jail and seized weapons, drugs, cell phones, and the keys to both the Commissary and the front door of the jail from the prisoners. Additionally, 240 prisoners were transferred to other facilities around the state.
State Auditor Stacey Pickering said conditions at the facility were out of control and that, “It appears to simply just be a ‘free for all’ that was going on at the Correctional Facility.”
This disturbance followed an incident in 2013 when prisoners somehow acquired passes to leave custody when they were supposed to be under constant supervision. After one of these men died on a weekend pass, the Mississippi Department of Corrections stopped housing prisoners at the facility and Alcorn promised drastic changes to its policies. This was two years before the 2015 disturbance.
Citations:
“State removes 240 inmates from Alcorn County jail, seizes contraband including jail keys“, WREG Memphis, October 29, 2015.
“Inmates removed from Alcorn correctional facility due to possible violations“, WREG Memphis, October 29, 2015.
Background:
“Mississippi Once Again Sending Inmates To Alcorn County“, WREG Memphis, November 13, 2013.
